CHAPTER TWENTY

Let's Just Finish the Dance

_______________

     RYAN TOSSED and turned atop his mattress, tangling himself in the sheets and duvet as he tried to force himself back to sleep. Something in the pit of his stomach woke him early the next morning, the morning after he witnessed Landon rise from the dead.

     No one could believe it. They watched Landon essentially resurrect himself. An achievement that should be near impossible. At least, without some kind of magical assistance.

     The realization came after the boy burst into flames and then climbed to his feet covered in a layer of ashy crust. Alaric figured Landon had to be some kind of supernatural. And because of the boy's spectacular resurrection, a Phoenix became the number one creature on the list. There was no definite proof, except for the fact that Landon came back to life through fire, but they did not have anything else to go on.

     So, Landon became the first ever Phoenix to be enrolled in the Salvatore School.

     Much to Hope's delight.

     Ryan knew that Landon's death affected her more than she let on. But in true Mikaelson fashion, Hope pushed the thought down and forgot about it. Ryan decided against a confrontation, giving his sister the time she needed to be with her alive boyfriend.

     Ryan rolled his eyes and stared up at the slanted ceiling of his dorm room. The strange feeling in his stomach grew and twisted, making sure he did not fall back asleep. He groaned, pushing himself up to run a hand over his face. Maybe he needed a bash of sleep inducing herbs to get at least one night of descent rest. Even without an influx of monsters, he failed to get more than a few hours.

     When a thud resounded through the wall behind him, Ryan threw his duvet from his body and rushed from his room to his sister's next door. He did not bother to knock as he ripped open the door to find an odd sight. He blinked when he saw Landon on the floor, climbing up from where Hope's easel and painted canvas fell onto him.

     "Okay?" Ryan voiced, watching the Kirby boy stand with streaks of blue and red on his face and arms.

     "Landon, are you okay?" Hope exclaimed when she rocketed up from the bed.

     Landon coughed, groaning as he knocked the paintbrushes and pencils off him. "Well, I was recently dead, so I think I'll mend."

     Hope breathed deeply with furrowed brows. "What happened?" She looked to her brother in the doorway. "And why're you here?"

     "You were having a nightmare," Landon said. "And then you screamed and some magical wave thing hit me, and now I have art supplies where no man should."

     Ryan nodded and pointed to the Kirby boy. "Hence why I'm here. Felt a disturbance of magic. You know, I sometimes hate having super heightened senses."

     Hope simply blinked, staring at the mess across the room.

     Ryan sighed. "Know what? I think it's time for an impromptu training session," he said pointedly toward his sister. "Get dressed. I'll meet you in the gym in twenty." He turned on his heel and left the room before she could decline.

     _______

     The Mikaelson siblings were both dressed in athletic attire, facing each other in the center of the gymnasium. Ryan tightened his hold on the wooden sticks in his hands. He sent them forward, connecting them with Hope's as they spared with each other.

     "So," Ryan started. "You gonna tell me what's wrong with you?"

     "Nothing," Hope said, rotating her sticks to push her brother's away. "I'm fine."

     Ryan blocked her hit and stepped backward. "I find that hard to believe, especially when Dr. Saltzman pulled me aside this morning and explained that Landon told him about his morning."

     Hope exhaled, resting her sticks onto her shoulders. "Isn't boyfriend confidentiality a thing? It should be."

     Ryan pressed his lips together, shaking his head. "No, I don't think that's a thing." He readied himself when Hope advanced toward him, not holding back as she tried to hit him. Ryan grunted, barely missing her foot when she kicked at him. "And Landon's just worried about you. Like me."

     "He doesn't need to be, and neither do you," Hope said, before she waylaid her sticks in his direction.

     Ryan blocked each of them. Just enough to escape her attack to take a breath. "Wow. Alright, you definitely have some kind of issue going on. Care to share?" He quirked a brow. "Don't tell me Landon's death had that much of an effect. He came right back."

     Hope panted, dropping her arms to sides. "I've been through worse."

     Ryan nodded. "I know that. But, maybe bottling everything up is taking its toll. Firstborn Mikaelson magic is nothing to joke with..."

     "I said, I'm fine!" Hope shouted, cutting him off.

     Ryan did not get the chance to brace himself. A burst of unseen magic erupted from Hope, knocking into him hard enough to knock him off his feet. Ryan groaned when he landed on the hardwood floor. His sticks fell from his hands and clattered to the floor.

     "Okay," Hope breathed at the sight of her brother on the ground. "I – I could stand to blow off some steam. I'm gonna – go check the woods to see if I can wolf out." She sidestepped and exited the gymnasium.

     Ryan continued to lay on his back. Expression placid. "I'm never helping you again." He looked up just in time to see Lizzie appear above him. "How much of that did you see?"

     Lizzie smiled. "Enough to know that all I have to do to catch you off guard is to have a magical outburst." She moved over to his side and held out her hand.

     Ryan grasped her palm, allowing the blonde to help him to his feet. He released a breath and said, "so, what brings you to the gym this early in the morning?" he questioned, dusting off his shorts.

     "I was looking for my dad. I need him. They won't unload the trucks without his signature," Lizzie said as she clutched a clipboard to her chest.

     Ryan's brows creased. "Trucks? Why are there trucks here? Deliveries are set for the beginning of the month. It's only the end of March."

     Lizzie's expression fell. "Don't tell me you forgot."

     "Forgot what?"

     _______

     "I have some news."

     Ryan leaned against a chair in the Grand Hall, right after Alaric called for an emergency assembly. He honestly thought Lizzie had been joking when she claimed that her father agreed to host the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. As it turned out, he was wrong.

     "Many of you, like me, have forgotten that we are hosting this year's Miss Mystic Falls Pageant," Alaric voiced from the podium. Students began to mutter amongst themselves, while others groaned. "Trust me, I know. But the rotation is set in stone. So, let's take the opportunity to maintain our image as a normal school for the rich and awful. As usual, anything remotely magical, enchanted, vampire, wolf, or witch related must be kept tucked away, hidden, and under lock and key."

     Ryan huffed. So, basically his entire being. Awesome.

     "Now, with your chore assignments." Alaric gestured to Lizzie at his side and let her take his place at the podium.

     Lizzie set her clipboard down and began. "Okay, so we'll split into teams."

     _______

     Ryan scowled, staring at the vase of flowers in his hands. "I did not sign up for this," he exclaimed and set them down on a table along the cleared out Grand Hall.

     Everyone in the school, except for the primary kids, were given a task to be fulfilled before the pageant later that night. Alaric believed that the setup would take less time with a lot of hands. Not something many people wanted to do on a Sunday.

     "No, I signed you up for it," Lizzie spoke from where she crossed out items on her clipboard a table away. "You're a tribrid. Manual labor should be a breeze."

     Ryan turned to face the Saltzman twin. "Can we go back to not being friends? I kind of liked that arrangement more," he said as he walked over to her.

     Lizzie grinned, looking up from her clipboard. "No can do, Mikaelson. You're stuck with me now."

     Ryan sighed. "That's what I was afraid of."

     "I need another task," Hope voiced, striding over to Lizzie. "Something more strenuous, if you have it."

     Ryan quirked a brow. "More strenuous than dealing with all the animals we keep around. I still don't know why. It's not like we can use sacrificial magic."

     Lizzie gave the boy a look, before she set her attention on Hope. "Does this have anything to do with the return of Roman Sienna? Because I can think of something real strenuous."

     Ryan heart almost stopped in his chest. His expression hardened at the sound of that name. The same one he wished to never hear again. "What did you just say?"

     Lizzie looked to him and said, "oh, yeah. Dad asked him to come back to help with the pageant."

     Ryan whirled to Hope. "And you knew about this?"

     Hope shook her head. "No. My first encounter with him happened just a few minutes ago." She then looked back to Lizzie. "And it's not about Roman. I just need a release. With all these humans coming to campus, I can't wolf out."

     "Okay, I'll make you a list," Lizzie said, before her attention turned elsewhere.

     Ryan would have been a bit more invested in what seemed to be a typical Lizzie Saltzman freakout, but he could not overlook the ringing in his ears after he heard Roman's name. He did not know why Hope forgave the vampire. He figured it had more to do with the fact that if she blamed Roman for her mother's death, then she would feel obligated to also blame herself. No matter how many times Ryan told her otherwise.

     The fact that Roman had been brainwashed by a literal Nazi did little to sway Ryan. Roman was a ninety-year-old vampire. He knew right from wrong. And using Hope to get to Hayley was the definition of wrong.

     Lizzie excused herself from the siblings to greet the pageant judges.

     As soon as she was gone, Ryan set his gaze on his sister. "Roman? Really?"

     Hope sighed. "Ryan, please don't do any stupid. Especially with all these humans here. Roman's not worth it."

     "Yeah, well, neither is his puny life, but he's the one still standing," Ryan grumbled.

     Hope's eyes narrowed. "I mean it, Ryan. Don't start anything with him. At least, not today."

     Ryan would have said more, but he noticed the strained tensed on his sister's face. Hope did not want the boy there about as much, if not more, than he did. "Fine. I'll stay away from Roman."

     "Thank you."

     Before she could any more, Lizzie reappeared at their sides. She grabbed ahold of Hope's arm and said, "you're coming with me." She then dragged her away and into the closed off room at the back of the Grand Hall.

     Ryan stared after them and blinked. Looks like he would have to finish setting the flowers alone.

     _______

     Rehearsal for the pageant began shortly after the Grand Hall appeared somewhat presentable. And in a strange turn of events, Ryan learned that Hope had been added to the list of contestants. Not something he ever thought would happen in a millennium.

     Ryan did his best to avoid anything to do with the pageant, once he finished up with his mandatory chores. Aside from the fact that he would have to attend for moral support for Hope, he had no obligation to watch the event from start to finish. He only knew one other contestant, but he and Josie were far from best friends at the current moment.

     "Thought I would find you up here."

     Ryan turned away from the where he stared out at the school grounds from the top of the tower in the library. When his eyes landed on Penelope, he sighed. "Figured everyone would be too busy with the pageant to come find me. What're you doing up here?"

     Penelope shrugged as she strode closer. "Deciding on whether I should push you or not."

     "What'd I do to have you contemplate murdering me?" Ryan questioned, sitting on the windowsill with the glass pushed open behind him.

     "Since when did you start being friends with Lizzie Saltzman?" Penelope questioned.

     "Since we learned that we were hating each other for no reason," Ryan answered, before his eyes narrowed toward the Park witch. "Is that what this is about? That I no longer hate Lizzie?"

     Penelope rolled her eyes. "I couldn't care less whether you are friends with Lizzie. It's the fact that you've completely shut out Josie that I care about."

     Ryan sighed. "I know we agreed to the Josie Saltzman Defense Squad, but that was before..." he trailed off.

     That caught Penelope's attention. "Before what?"

     Ryan exhaled and stood to his feet. "Before I learned that she pitted Lizzie against my sister and I for over ten years," he said, starting toward the tower's exit.

     "Are you sure it doesn't have to do with the fact that we kissed before Spring Break?"

     Ryan paused in step. He turned back to face her. "Honestly, it might. But it doesn't matter what I feel, it's for what Josie feels for you. She's still in love with you, whether she wants to admit it or not. And I'm not the kind of person who stands in the way of that. You were with her first."

     "But not last," Penelope stated.

     Ryan picked up on her tone. She almost sounded – sad. "What do you mean?"

     Penelope pursed her lips. "I wanted to tell Josie before anyone else found out, but I'm pretty sure she hasn't given my letter a second glance." She took a breath and said, "I'm leaving school."

     Ryan's eyes widened. "You're what?"

     "My mom got a job in Belgium. I'm moving there. Tonight – after the pageant."

     Ryan really needed to learn how to not be surprised anymore. He knew that Josie would not take the news well. Despite her hardened front she tried to maintain around her ex, Penelope held a huge place in Josie's heart. She would be crushed.

     "Be her escort," Ryan told her. "Give her no way around it. She'll have to spend time with you then."

     Penelope smiled in the devilish way she was the best at. "Way ahead of you, Mikaelson."

     ______

     Penelope obviously knew how to pull a few strings. She managed to talk MG into sitting out and let her claim his spot as Josie's escort for the pageant. That girl could rule the world if she set her mind to it.

     Ryan made his way back into the heart of the school for something to eat. He missed breakfast in an attempt to settle his sister's magical unease, and he needed something before he fell out on the floor. That is, until he felt the same disturbance twist and roll inside him. Again.

     Ryan moved through the halls, pushing past Mystic Falls townies, and followed the feeling as it grew larger. It led him to the now human-filled Grand Hall. Rehearsal continued on. The judges observed from the staircase as the girls and their escorts performed a dance centuries older than them all. Ryan raked his eyes over the room, finding Hope and Landon amidst some kind of argument.

     Magic radiated off Hope in waves. Glasses on every table began to rattle against each other, while the flowers around the room shook in their vases.

     Oh, they were about to be in so much trouble.

     Ryan looked to his sister, watching her expression morph into one of irritation. He raced forward and reached Hope's side the same time as Lizzie.

     "Alright, that's enough," Ryan told Landon. His eyes narrowed into slits.

     Lizzie set a hand on Hope's shoulder. "Come with me," she said and urged her to leave. Her gaze landed on the Kirby boy. "You, stay here. Do nothing."

     The two girls walked away, but Ryan stayed behind. He set his attention on Landon, who held the same amount of irritation Hope expressed. "I don't know what you were saying to her, but knock it off. She watched you die for crying out loud. Give her a break."

     Landon gaped at him. "She's trying to justify Roman killing her mother. How else was I supposed to react?"

     "You let her believe what she wants. It's better that way. Believe me." Ryan sighed heavily. "Look, just – give her some space before the pageant, unless you want her blowing the roof off this place." He turned on his heel and went after Hope and Lizzie.

     _______

     Ryan shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his coat, trudging through the forest in the direction of the Old Mill. Lizzie led the way, no saying a word the entire time.

     Hope huffed, growing more impatient the farther they went. "Lizzie, where are we going?"

     "You're a ticking time bomb. I'm gonna show you how to take care of it, before you hurt someone, or worse, cost us the pageant," Lizzie explained.

     Ryan nodded. "Glad to know your priorities are in order."

     "I'm fine. Okay?" Hope exclaimed. "I just needed some air..."

     "You are far from fine," Lizzie cut her off, whirling on her heel to stop the Mikaelson girl short. "You are one small moment away from a meltdown, trust me. I know the signs. You know that feeling inside, like a balloon constantly filling up, always on the verge of popping?"

     Hope deadpanned. "Maybe."

     Ryan pressed his lips together, taking in Lizzie's words. He never considered it, but Lizzie's was right. And not just for Hope.

     "Well, let it pop."

     Ryan snapped to the Saltzman girl. "Excuse me? That's what we're trying to avoid."

     Lizzie looked to him and said, "so am I." She looked back to Hope. "Scream as loud as you can." She moved around her, pulling Ryan along with her.

     Hope's brows furrowed as she glanced back at them. Lizzie nodded, urging her on. Hope rolled her eyes, before she faced forward. She took a deep breath and then released a shrill scream, sending a pulse of magic through the forest. Leaves were tossed up from the ground, swirling and flying through the air.

     Ryan hummed at the sight.

     _______

     "You know? I actually feel a lot better," Hope breathed as they headed back toward the school. "But I think I need to go back up to my room. I need to call it a day."

     "No, you are not dropping out on me," Lizzie told her. "If I'm right, which I am, our win probability is still at eighty-seven percent. Even after that abysmal rehearsal. So, buckle up. We're in this 'til the bitter end."

     Ryan shook his head. "You would turn this pageant stuff into a science. You do realize Hope doesn't even have a dress for this thing, right?"

     Lizzie only grinned. "I have that covered."

     The three of them were stopped when someone intercepted their path in the gardens. Ryan groaned internally at the sight of Landon.

     "In a situation like this, which one of us is supposed to apologize?" Hope questioned, more toward Lizzie than to her brother.

     Ryan shrugged. "Beats me. My relationship skills are at an even zero."

     "When it comes to jealousy? Always the guy," Lizzie stated.

     Landon walked up to them. "Hey."

     Hope met him halfway. "Hey."

     "I'm so sorry. I was totally insensitive, and I just, I..." Landon trailed off when his attention shifted to a stone statue placed throughout the grounds. "Where did this stature come from?"

     Ryan blinked. The boy really was scatter brained, wasn't he?

     "Uh, I – I don't know. Somebody probably moved it up here when they were cleaning?" Hope suggested. "Looks like one of the statues from the basement.

     "Call me crazy, but doesn't this look like – MG's mom?"

     Ryan stepped closer and took in the appearance of the statue. He did not know what MG's mother looked like, but he recognized the lanyard around her neck. "Isn't that one of our visitor's passes?" he questioned, pointing to the card that hung on the stature's chest.

     Hope moved to her brother's side with wide eyes. "Yeah. I think it is MG's mom."

     Alaric and MG joined them soon after the discovery that MG's mother had been transformed into one of the school's lawn ornaments.

     "Who would do this to my mom?" MG questioned, staring at the stone sculpture that used to be in mother.

     "Well, not just who would – who could?" Hope voiced.

     Alaric looked Mrs. Greasley over and said, "it could be a bad spell translation – a potion mishap?"

     "Or a monster," Ryan proposed with a shrug, drawing the headmaster's eyes toward him.

     "There's no reason a monster would be here," Alaric told him.

     "Unless this sentient jar of artisanal mayonnaise activated a new artifact," Lizzie quipped, setting her gaze on the Kirby boy. "What did you touch?"

     "Everything," Landon said. "We cleaned the school from top to bottom, remember?" Lizzie looked away, not at all convinced. "But, if we're just gonna throw out wild theories, here's one. What if the person who did this showed up today, out of nowhere, acting all buddy-buddy, manipulating romantic feelings to get someone's guard down?"

     Ryan grinned toward the recently resurrected Phoenix. "I like the way you think, Kirby."

     Hope turned toward both boys. "Do you seriously suspect Roman?"

     Ryan nodded. "One hundred percent."

     Landon nodded, too. "Yeah, we all should. The timing is too convenient."

     Hope scoffed. "I thought you were sorry for acting jealous," she exclaimed, completely ignoring her brother's comment.

     "I was sorry, but now I'm vindicated," Landon stressed, pointing at MG's statue-fied mother.

     "Alright," Alaric voiced to reign back the conversation, "Lizzie, Hope, you keep an eye on the contestants. MG, we're gonna search the campus. Ryan, Landon..."

     "I'm gonna go ask Roman some questions," Landon cut the man off before he could finish.

     Ryan gestured to where the Kirby boy started through the gardens. "I'm gonna go make sure he doesn't get himself killed – again." He turned to follow him.

     "Yeah, super helpful. Ask a vampire how he turned a woman to stone," Hope called after them.

     "Alright, everyone, stay alert and be careful out there," Alaric said, before they all parted ways.

<March 30, 2019>

Ryan and Roman face off in the next chapter!

I have no idea how I'm going to write it yet, so it's going to be a surprise for all of us.

And who else loved Ryan's conversation with Penelope. My little boy's all grown up...*sniffles*

Don't forget to vote and comment.

-Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.